“The course has provided judges and prosecutors with substantial theoretical and practical knowledge to combat trafficking in human beings, knowledge which is very much needed in our daily work, since we deal with many trafficking cases in the organised crime department”, stated a judge from the Basic Court Skopje 1, who participated in the first anti-trafficking online HELP (Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals) course.

“The course on combating trafficking in human beings has met the expectations in terms of the content of the tackled legal issues”, reiterated a lawyer, member of the Bar Association, who participated in a course targeting practicing lawyers.

In July 2020, 48 legal professionals - judges, prosecutors, lawyers and criminal investigators - will receive certificates for having completed a HELP anti-trafficking course offered within the action “Preventing and combating trafficking in human beings in North Macedonia” and conducted in co-operation with the Academy for judges and prosecutors and the national Bar Association.

The courses contributed towards enhanced protection of victims of human trafficking by way of strengthening the capacities of legal professionals to investigate, prosecute, sentence and provide access to adequate and effective legal remedies in human trafficking cases.

The online HELP anti-trafficking courses, adjusted to the local circumstances in North Macedonia, were implemented between April and July 2020. The participants were educated in combating trafficking in human beings. Moreover, they benefited from policy analysis on the standing and rights of trafficking victims in judicial proceedings in North Macedonia, which was commissioned by the action, and discussed the findings and recommendations of the policy analysis with eminent experts and HELP tutors.

The action on “Preventing and combating trafficking in human beings in North Macedonia” is implemented under the joint European Union/Council of Europe programme „Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019 – 2022”.